ray 1 of 2

noun

Definition of raynext
1
as in beam
a narrow sharply defined line of light radiating from an object two red eyes reflected in the ray of light from the flashlight

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in glimmer
a very small amount the tapping sound ceased, extinguishing the last ray of hope that the trapped miners were still alive

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

ray

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to shine
to emit rays of light klieg lights were raying against the nighttime sky at the Hollywood premiere

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to radiate
to extend outwards from or as if from a central point laugh wrinkles rayed out from the corners of the old man's eyes

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of ray
Noun
Skin in the game Another entrant in last year's startup contest pitched a biotech company that helps people track their exposure to harmful ultraviolet rays and potentially detect skin cancer earlier. — Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 7 Oct. 2026 This depletes the number of gamma-ray photons in this signal. — Robert Lea, Space.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Verb
Scientists have long grouped sharks together as a natural evolutionary unit, meaning every shark species shares a common ancestor that rays and skates do not. — Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes.com, 23 May 2026 The PlayStation 5 Pro is a more powerful spin on the vanilla PS5, thanks to ray tracing and AI upscaling that give games a visual boost. — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 27 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for ray
Recent Examples of Synonyms for ray
  1. beam
  2. glimmer
  3. shine
  4. radiate
  5. splash
  6. glow
  7. speck
  8. hint
Noun
  • During radiotherapy, small tattoos can help clinicians repeatedly align radiation beams with the correct treatment area.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026
  • The rest of their apartment complex was littered with roof shingles and broken beams from a wooden fence.
    — Emilie Megnien, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of beam
Noun
  • Still, Crow—the ever-optimist, as her body of work proves—clings on to the glimmers of hope from leaders of the world who do show us the best parts of humanity.
    — Selena Fragassi, SPIN, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Viewers get only glimmers of the characters’ personalities and backgrounds, but the show offers enough detail and texture to understand how Season 1 might unfold.
    — Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of glimmer
Verb
  • The Judgment Day might be on a downturn, but Morgan continues to be a shining light in the faction.
    — Ryan Gaydos OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026
  • This selection in the Best International Feature category has the potential to be truly transformative for the film, opening doors to audiences around the world while shining a spotlight on Pegah’s extraordinary talent and her vital voice.
    — Brent Lang, IndieWire, 10 Oct. 2026
Definition of shine
Verb
  • The surrounding countryside, by comparison, was littered with large numbers of trees that were toppled as the shock waves produced by the exploding asteroid high above radiated downward.
    — Micah Hanks, Space.com, 12 Oct. 2026
  • The film’s focus on the strange and unprecedented power dynamics in an industry that’s hurtling forward at all costs radiated off-screen as well.
    — Hayden Field, The Verge, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of radiate
Noun
  • Ruca jumped to the top of the turnbuckle, gave Legend a polite wave and hit a frog splash that sent both competitors through the ladder.
    — Ryan Gaydos OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Your Photography by Kimberly Kalan Maison Flambeau has multiple outdoor dining and lounging spots, the most notable of which are its splash pool and sauna.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of splash
Verb
  • Happily, though, the Gulf Coast sunsets here will glow all year round.
    — Harriet Elton, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
  • On one, Basquiat made the figure menacing, with glowing red eyes, while another iteration appears almost nervous.
    — Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of glow
Noun
  • Every belt buckle looks freshly yanked off the rack; every speck of signage resembles something painted 45 minutes before filming commenced that day.
    — Michael Phillips, Variety, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The period is 2006, when the golden age of streamable content is barely a speck on the media horizon.
    — Justin Chang, New Yorker, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of speck
Noun
  • Gone are the beer bashes, the thrill of invention and any hint that Zuckerberg lusted for something — women, attention, clout — other than a quarterly earnings report.
    — Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
  • However, the document didn't give any clear hints as to when exactly policymakers thought that hike could come.
    — Alex Harring, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of hint

Phrases Containing ray

Browse Nearby Words

rawness
ray
rayed
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Ray.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/ray. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on ray

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about ray

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of deportment

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Why do we call it a 'flea market'?
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
a cup of tea and a golf ball on tee side by side
Quiz: Sounds Like... Choose the word that sounds like it fits the clue...
See All